• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.362-369
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• 2019

Background: Chronic nonspecific symptoms attributed to indoor nonindustrial work environments are common and may cause disability, but the medical nature of this disability is unclear. The aim was to medically characterize the disability manifested by chronic, recurrent symptoms and restrictions to work participation attributed to low-level indoor pollutants at workplace and whether the condition shares features with idiopathic environmental intolerance. Methods: We investigated 12 patients with indoor aire-related work disability. The examinations included somatic, psychological, and psychiatric evaluations as well as investigations of the autonomic nervous system, cortisol measurements, lung function, and allergy tests. We evaluated well-being, health, disability, insomnia, pain, anxiety, depression, and burnout via questionnaires. Results: The mean symptom history was 10.5 years; for disabling symptoms, 2.7 years. Eleven patients reported reactions triggered mainly by indoor molds, one by fragrances only. Ten reported sensitivity to odorous chemicals, and three, electric devices. Nearly all had co-occurrent somatic and psychiatric diagnoses and signs of pain, insomnia, burnout, and/or elevated sympathetic responses. Avoiding certain environments had led to restrictions in several life areas. On self-assessment scales, disability showed higher severity and anxiety showed lower severity than in physician assessments. Conclusion: No medical cause was found to explain the disability. Findings support that the condition is a form of idiopathic environmental intolerance and belongs to functional somatic syndromes. Instead of endless avoidance, rehabilitation approaches of functional somatic syndromes are applicable.

• The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.193-203
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• 2022

Purpose: This study explored the mediating role of resilience between post-traumatic stress and emotional exhaustion in nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The data were collected from 193 nurses working at a hospital in Daegu from October 16 to 30, 2020, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants conducted self-reported surveys of post-traumatic stress (Impact of Event Scale-Revised Korean version), emotional exhaustion (Maslach Burnout Inventory), and resilience (Korean Resilience Quotient Test). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, frequency, t-tests, Mann-Whitney U tests, Kruskal-Wallis tests, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple regression. Mediation analysis was performed using the Baron and Kenny method and Sobel test. Results: The mean scores for post-traumatic stress, resilience, and emotional exhaustion were 16.18±16.18, 183.41±18.29, and 32.64±9.66, respectively. A higher level of post-traumatic stress was associated with lower resilience (r=-.20, p=.004) and with higher emotional exhaustion (r=.33, p<.001). A higher level of resilience was associated with lower emotional exhaustion (r=-.35, p<.001). The resilience was confirmed to have a partial mediating effect in the relationship between post-traumatic stress and emotional exhaustion, verified by the Sobel test (Z=2.31, p=.02). Conclusion: Resilience had a partial mediating effect in the relationship between post-traumatic stress and emotional exhaustion. Thus, nurses should develop individual strengths to reduce emotional exhaustion, and managers should also make efforts to increase the nurses' resilience. It is also necessary to develop and apply a program to strengthen nurses' resilience.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.487-498
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of nursing workplace spirituality and resilience on the quality of professional life of hospital nurses. The study participants comprised 200 nurses working in two general hospitals with over 300 beds in. Data were collected from March 4 to 29, 2019 and a total sample size of 197 participants was used for analysis. Descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation, and stepwise multiple regression were used to analyze the results using SPSS/WIN 21.0. The score were as follows: 4.54 for nursing work spirituality, 3.34 resilience, 3.20 compassion satisfaction, 2.66 secondary traumatic stress, and 2.79 burnout. The factors affecting compassion satisfaction were nursing work spirituality and resilience, and the explanatory power was 47%. The factors affecting secondary traumatic stress were resilience, and the explanatory power was 13%. The factors affecting burnout were resilience, nursing workplace spirituality, and job satisfaction, and this had an explanatory power of 51%. In conclusion, it is necessary to improve the resilience of hospital nurses to alleviate secondary traumatic stress and burnout of nurses and to improve the quality of professional life.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.636-648
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• 2020

The purpose of this preliminary study is to help put the women with career breaks in Science and Technique back to work and keep on working. For this purpose, we developed a 8-session group counseling for woman scientists and technicians with career break: Self-Growth group and Interpersonal Conflict Resolution Group. A total of 14 people participated in Group counseling. The most of participants reported that they have experienced lowered self-esteem, difficulties in relationship with family and colleagues, and psychological pressure and distress. The participants in the Interpersonal Conflict Resolution Group Counseling showed positive changes at stress coping strategies. From this study, the women with career breaks in Science and Technique will be expected to overcome the difficulties of career breaks wisely, demonstrate and confirm their competence, and restore from stress and psychological burnout. Based on the results of this study, implications and limitations of this study and future research were discussed.

• Journal of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.306-320
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• 2020

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the subjective perception structures and types of empathy among nurses caring for patients with behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) using Q-methodology. Methods: Thirty-eight Q-samples (statements) were derived from in-depth interviews with 10 nurses working in long-term care hospitals and nursing homes. The Q-sorting was conducted in rank order (the responses obtained by each of the 30 nurses working at 3 long-term care hospitals and 4 nursing homes) into a normal distribution grid (from -4 to +4). The types of empathy among participants were analyzed using the PC-QUANL program. Results: Five types of empathy accounting for 48.5% of the total variance were categorized as follows: (1) taking the patients' personality into consideration while helping, (2) interacting closely and emotionally, (3) supporting the patient as a companion, (4) performing the duty in a defensive manner, and (5) resolving patients' problems by focusing on their needs. Conclusion: This study shows that there are various types of empathy in nurses caring for patients with BPSD. Therefore, it is necessary to develop strategies and educative programs to enhance empathy competency and deal with burnout based on the type of empathy.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Rural Health Nursing
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.27-39
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• 2023

Purpose: This study is a mixed methods research that was conducted to verify factors affecting the working experience of community-based long-term care hospital workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The study was carried out from July 19 to November 3, 2021 for 340 nurses who worked at 10 long-term care hospitals located in G city. Results: As the study results, factors that affected job stress of the workers working at community-based long-term care hospitals included job satisfaction (β=-.27, p<.001), work demand (β=-.25, p<.001), fatigue (β=.19, p=.001), and cooperation and leadership (β=-.12, p=.049). It was found that the participants were struggling with physical and mental stress caused by the increased workload due to the preventative measures taken to stop the infection and spread of COVID-19. Despite this, they accepted their situation as necessary to overcome the pandemic and shared the quarantine guidelines of the government and community health centers while actively responding to prevent the spread of COVID-19 under the leadership of their supervisors. However, they were experiencing psychological and emotional burnout in the prolonged pandemic situation. Conclusion: It is considered necessary to help relieve their stress and provide psychological and mental support by adopting a policy to develop and apply comprehensive programs.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.353-363
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate pediatric nurses' perceptions regarding in end-of-life care and turnover intention. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was performed among 111 hospital nurses. Pediatric nurses' perceptions of obstacles and supportive behaviors were measured using the Pediatric Nurses' Perceptions of End of Life Care Questionnaire which was translated into Korean and turnover intention was measured using the Korean Nurse Turnover Intention Scale (K-NTIS). Results: The supportive behavior with the highest perceived magnitude was 'Physicians who are compassionate, but very clear about prognosis.' The obstacle with the highest perceived magnitude was 'Instigating painful treatments when there is no hope of recovery.' Pediatric nurses' perceptions of obstacles in end-of-life care showed statistically significant differences depending on whether nurses received end-of-life care education (t=2.02, p=.046). The perception of obstacles in end-of-life care was positively correlated with turnover intention (intensity r=.28, p=.002) (frequency r=.20, p=.027). Conclusion: These results suggest that pediatric nurses' perception of obstacles and supportive behaviors in end-of-life care need to be assessed when considering turnover intention. Furthermore, psychological counseling should be offered to nurses to prevent burnout and reduce moral distress which is correlated with the turnover rate.

• Asian Oncology Nursing
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.49-57
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to test the reliability and validity of an instrument to measure suffering of family of patients with terminal cancer. Methods: This research was a methodological study processed as follows: 1) The preliminary 32 items were developed based a conceptual framework of suffering for patients with cancer. 2) The content was validated by an expert panel (n=24) and the family of patients with terminal cancers (n=33). 3) The instrument was validated by survey (n=92). Finally, 29 items were selected in developing final version of the scale. Results: Seven factors were extracted through factor analysis: 'economical distress', 'loss of meaning in life', 'feeling of social isolation', 'emotional distress', 'burnout', 'guilty feeling', and 'physical discomfort'. These factors explained 66.94% of the total variance. Cronbach's alpha and Guttman Split-half coefficient of the 29 items were .93 and .92. respectively. Conclusion: This scale identified as a valid and reliable tool with a high degree of reliability and validity. It can be effectively utilized to assess the degree of suffering of family in palliative care settings.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.255-264
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of the study were to analyze the research trends of compassion fatigue in Korea nurses and to suggest future research directions. Methods: For this study, RISS, KISTI, KISS, National Assembly Library databases were searched using the key words 'compassion fatigue', 'secondary traumatic stress', 'professional quality of life' that contains compassion fatigue as a sub-element, and 'nurses' for this study. A total of 124 articles published in June 2014 were searched and analyzed 19 articles for the final analysis. Results: The most frequently used study design was descriptive (N=17, 89.5%). High compassion fatigue was reported in this study. Factors affecting compassion fatigue were personal factors (e.g., age, health state, and sleep hours), work-related factors (e.g., experience with traumatized patients), and psychological factors (e.g., job stress, anxiety, excessive empathy, social support, and coping strategy). Finally, Consequence factors of compassion fatigue was reported burnout, silencing response and turnover intention. Conclusion: There was a few studies on compassion fatigue. Further research on compassion fatigue needs to use a variety of study designs instruments suitable for Korean nurses, and to develop management programs on compassion fatigue in nurses.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.125-138
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• 2020

The aim of this study was to review previous literature to determine the effects of nature-based program for workers. This systematic review was conducted in accordance with National Evidence-based Healthcare Collaborating Agency's guidance for undertaking systematic reviews for intervention. Literature search was performed using National Assembly Digital Library, Korean Studies Information Service System, and Korea Education & Research Information Service for literature published until March 2019. The participants were full-time workers, and intervention of nature-based programs was conducted in the outdoor, indoor, and indirect nature contact exposures, with comparators in the control group who did not receive the treatment. The results showed that the programs were effective in physical, psychological, and social health. The methodological quality of randomized controlled trials (RCT) was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias(RoB) tool, while non-randomized controlled trials (N-RCT) were assessed using the Cochrane Risk of bias assessment tool for non-randomized studuies (RoBANS). A total of 16 studies were selected for assessment: two RCTs, 10 N-RCTs, and four one-group pretest-posttest designs. Most interventions were provided at the workplace and in the community. There were many kinds of nature-based interventions, and forest therapy and horticultural therapy programs were most common. Various interventions for workers effectively improved job stress, depression, serum cortisol and stress-response. However, the included studies lacked methodological rigor. Future research is needed to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of nature-based programs for workers using rigorous research designs.